The Book of Acts (August 18, 2024)

 Many times, today we think people disagree with us about church, living a life of a Christian and they say mean things about us and never talk to us again … oh how they have hurt us. This is nothing compared to what Stephen faced. Stephen preached his first recorded sermon and the was stoned. Seems to be a bit of an over-reaction, doesn’t it? But, when we look at the world we live in – people will slander you, gossip about you, say all manner of things about you, the protests, violence, church shootings, and more – seems like this is about the time we are in today doesn’t it?

Acts 7:54–60 “54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

To show where this started, let’s look back at the beginning …

Acts 7:1 ~ “And the high priest said, “Are these things so?””

Stephen was on trial for his life. He had been called upon to defend himself; but instead of defending himself, Stephen gave a sermon about the tragic failure of the people to follow and obey God. He had …

• shown how God called and founded the nation of Israel to seek and inhabit the “promised land.”
• shown how Israel had rejected God’s call and the hope of the promised land, rejected it time and again all through their history.
• shown how God delivered the nation time and again, trying to stir within the people an obedience to Him.
• made eight severe charges against the nation including the murder of the righteous One, God’s very own Son.

His message had been effective and convicting. It had done its job. Both the leaders and the people were convicted. The response was up to them. Conviction can go either way. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!) Conviction can go either way. It can either cause a person to turn to God, confessing his sin or cause a person to react against God and His servants. Notice things about the Jewish court and the people present.

• “When they heard these things.” This is present tense. It was while they were hearing Stephen preach that conviction was taking place. He was preaching and the Spirit of God was convicting, trying to get through to the hearts of the people. God was giving the people another chance.
• “they were enraged”. The words mean to saw asunder; to cut through. It is used to show violent reactions. The response of their hearts was anger, not godly sorrow. They had no intention of confessing that they had been wrong.
• “ground their teeth”. The word means to bite, to grind, to gnash the teeth just like a pack of snarling dogs. The people were in a rage, filled with anger and malice, ready to do violence, ready to unleash the fury of their emotions.

When the human heart rebels against God, it becomes disturbed and tormented. Rebellion against God causes the human heart to be …

• uncertain and insecure
• passive and inactive
• disturbed and troubled
• withdrawn and lonely
• indignant and reactionary
• purposeless and meaningless

2 Chronicles 24:19 ~ “Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.”

Isaiah 28:12 ~ “to whom he has said, “This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose”; yet they would not hear.”

Psalm 95:8 ~ “do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,”

Notice that Stephen understands what is taking place. He knows where he is and he also knows these people and their customs, reactions and more. However, knowing it all, Stephen is faithful in bearing witness to the truth. His purpose was not to escape condemnation, not at any price. He was not wishing to die, but he was not willing to deny the truth in order to live. His desire was to proclaim the truth, hoping the leaders and people of his beloved nation would heed the call of God and be saved.

Titus 2:15 ~ “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

1 Peter 3:15 ~ “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

This is always, even during what we see here with Stephen, deliverance – the Lord’s provision. God is always present when one of His dear children is facing a crisis. But the person must be a true child of God, faithful and obedient to the Lord of glory. Stephen was. He was doing exactly what Jesus had said to do, bearing testimony to the world. Therefore, Stephen had the promise of the Lord. Jesus was there with Stephen, there in the most wonderful way.

When we face a crisis, condemnation, trials – God provides His provision.

• God filled Stephen with a special infilling of the Holy Spirit. He received a very special …
  • presence and manifestation of the Spirit: a special consciousness; an awareness; a sense surrounding, engulfing, and embracing him; a presence carrying him through the great trial
  • power and grace to bear and go through whatever lay ahead

• God gave Stephen a vision into heaven: enabling him to see into the other world, the spiritual world, or spiritual dimension of being.

• God gave Stephen a glorious testimony. Seeing such a scene, Stephen just burst forth proclaiming the glorious vision he was experiencing. It was most likely a natural outburst of joy and ecstacy, a testimony of the truth of the other world to those standing around. Note this part of the truth: the Son of Man, Jesus, is there. Jesus is at the right hand of God. Stephen was proclaiming …
  • that Jesus is the Son of God
  • that our faith in Jesus is not in vain
  • that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be

Whatever the predicament, whatever we face, the believer is called to minister and show the world the Love of God. We are not out to destroy, but to build.

**NOTE – next Sunday we start looking at a man named Saul.**